two camera setups

[albert camus]

shoot that is using two or more cameras on first unit but moves terribly slow. Does anyone have ideas of how to take advantage of having two cameras on the same set.

 

Thank You

[Sean Elder]

From my experience I've noticed that lighting for Principle or the Hero camera usually takes a lot of time when using cameras for continuity for both cameras. Having multiple cameras cuts down on time for resetting for coverage, but lighting for continuity for all cameras makes a TON of difference in post!

[Matthew Parnell]

Most shows shoot two cameras, particularly on TV. There is no way we'd get the amount of coverage shot in the time given any other way.

 

There are two common ways of using two cameras to shoot coverage. One is to do parralel coverage, where A and B cameras are placed roughly side by side shooting in the same direction. One camera might be shooting a mid shot, the other might be doing single close ups, they might both be on close ups. The general idea is you shoot in one direction, turn arround, shoot your reverses. Doing this, you theoretically half the ammount of time your shooting in either direction. In this case, the B camera is usually an addition made after A camera is settled.

 

The second option is cross coverage, where one camera shoots coverage in one direction, while the other does the reverses in the opposite direction. Cross coverage is a comprimise situation. It saves a lot of time in not having to turn-arround to shoot the reverses, but ultimately your lighting, and the coverage itself with be comprimised by the fact your are shooting in two different directions, and therefore you will be somewhat restricted with what you can do without equipment ending up in shot, or comprimising one cameras lighting for the others. While blocking a scene that you are going to cross shoot, you really have to be mindfull about making it all work.

 

Generally a two camera shoot becomes a mash up of the two different ways, sometimes you can justify making the comprimise to cross shoot, other times its better to shoot parralel. Ofcourses there are other ways of shooting with two cameras, but those are the two most common.

[albert camus]

Thank you, Matthew. That's what I was looking for. You mentioned there are other ways to cross shoot. I would love to hear more on the subject.